Project Flying Fox

‘Project Flying Fox’ is an environmental education program that involves students working scientifically and technologically to investigate a local endangered species, the Grey-headed flying fox, and design a solution to help conserve it. The species has declined by over 30% since 1989 and thousands have died recently from extreme heat events. The species is listed by the EPA as ‘vulnerable to extinction’ and protected under federal laws.

Students will learn about the species, including common myths and misconceptions, and design a solution (possibly using information and communication systems) to raise awareness about the species to help conserve them.

The project has two main components:

Introductory activities and resources to introduce the students to the project.

Fieldwork to a local Grey Headed Flying Fox colony to undertake a number of hands-on activities and to learn more about the species.

By participating in the project, students will:

Describe how structural features and other adaptations of living things help them to survive in their environment ST3-10LW

Describes some physical conditions of the environment and how these affect the growth and survival of living things ST3-11LW

Use gathered data to develop explanations about how changing the physical conditions of the environment affects the growth and survival of living things

work to address a design brief to increase the sustainability of a threatened species.

This program supports the Science and Technology Stage 3 Syllabus in the areas of: